Chuck: Difference between revisions

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* [[Nerds Are Sexy]]: Kind of the whole point.

* [[Neural Implanting]]: How the Intersect is put into Chuck's brain in the first place.

* [[Never Mess with Granny]]: As of "Chuck Versus the Push Mix," {{spoiler|Chuck and Ellie's mother, Mary Elizabeth "Frost" Bartowski, thanks to the birth of her first grandchild}}.

* [[Never Mess with Granny]]: As of "Chuck Versus the Push Mix", {{spoiler|Chuck and Ellie's mother, Mary Elizabeth "Frost" Bartowski, thanks to the birth of her first grandchild}}.

** Hartley Winterbottom's mother qualifies as well.

* [[New Powers as the Plot Demands]]: The function of Intersect 2.0 in Chuck's head.

* [[Nice Guy]]: Chuck Bartowski.

** Despite being very muscular, Devon is a very gentle person.

* [[No Celebrities Were Harmed]]

* [[No Celebrities Were Harmed]]:

** Ted Roark is essentially Steve Jobs if Steve Jobs decided to moonlight as a murderous supervillain.

** Premier Alejandro Fulgencio Goya seems to be based on Fidel Castro (though in "Chuck Versus the Coup d'Etat", there is a mention of him hanging out with the real Castro). In "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte" {{spoiler|the Ring assassin tries to kill him by poisoning one of his cigars, a shout out to one of the CIA's real life plans to kill Castro with an exploding cigar.}}

** Premier Alejandro Fulgencio Goya seems to be based on Fidel Castro (though in "Chuck Versus the Coup d'Etat", there is a mention of him hanging out with the real Castro). In "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte", {{spoiler|the Ring assassin tries to kill him by poisoning one of his cigars, a shout out to one of the CIA's real life plans to kill Castro with an exploding cigar}}.

* [[Non-Lethal KO]]: The tranq gun is Chuck's [[Weapon of Choice]].

* [[Not Even Bothering with the Accent]]: Alexei Volkoff, though apparently a Russian, retains [[Timothy Dalton]]'s English accent. Justified in "Chuck Versus Agent X"; {{spoiler|Volkoff has a British accent because he's actually Agent X, who was born in Somerset.}}

* [[Not Even Bothering with the Accent]]: Alexei Volkoff, though apparently a Russian, retains [[Timothy Dalton]]'s English accent. Justified in "Chuck Versus Agent X": {{spoiler|Volkoff has a British accent because he's actually Agent X, who was born in Somerset}}.

* [[Not Himself]]: {{spoiler|Morgan with the Intersect. Chuck ~~recognises~~ it when [[Something They Would Never Say|Morgan doesn't get an]] [[Indiana Jones]] reference. Even more heavily underlined for the audience in the final shot of the episode when Morgan asks who [[Star Wars|Luke Skywalker]] is.}}

* [[Not Himself]]: {{spoiler|Morgan with the Intersect. Chuck recognizes it when [[Something They Would Never Say|Morgan doesn't get an]] ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' reference. Even more heavily underlined for the audience in the final shot of the episode when Morgan asks who [[Star Wars|Luke Skywalker]] is}}.

** {{spoiler|Sarah gets the Intersect and her memory wiped}} in the series finale. {{spoiler|Small things like how she won't let him warm her feet with his in bed and forgetting to pack extra tranq darts}} are what tip Chuck off that something's not right.

*** Ahem. The real cue for Chuck was {{spoiler|not so much the absent tranq darts in themselves, but the pair of Intersect glasses that took their place}}.

* [[Not So Dire]]: Very common gag.

* [[No, You Go First]]: Happens a lot between Chuck and Sarah.

* [[Odd Couple]]: The moment {{spoiler|Morgan Grimes hired John Casey as Lieutenant Assistant Manager at the Buy More}} is the moment a new, hilarious [[Odd Couple]] was born. {{spoiler|This continues to be hilarious the moment John Casey inducts Morgan Grimes to the CIA and is assigned to train him.}}

* [[Odd Couple]]: The moment {{spoiler|Morgan Grimes hired John Casey as Lieutenant Assistant Manager at the Buy More}} is the moment a new, hilarious [[Odd Couple]] was born. {{spoiler|This continues to be hilarious the moment John Casey inducts Morgan Grimes to the CIA and is assigned to train him}}.

{{quote|{{spoiler|'''Beckman:''' It was ''your'' idea to make him part of the team, it's ''your'' job to make him field-ready. He's a diamond in the rough... very, very rough... but I'm sure you'll make him... [[Sarcasm Mode|sparkle]]!}}}}

{{quote|{{spoiler|'''Beckman:''' It was ''your'' idea to make him part of the team, it's ''your'' job to make him field-ready. He's a diamond in the rough... very, very rough... but I'm sure you'll make him... [[Sarcasm Mode|sparkle]]}}!}}

* [[The Omniscient Council of Vagueness]]:

** FULCRUM.

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* [[Overprotective Dad]]: Casey.

* [[Parental Abandonment]]: A recurring theme.

** Chuck and Ellie's mother "left them" and their father "wasn't around much." As it turns out, their father literally abandoned them when Ellie was old enough to be Chuck's guardian, {{spoiler|but did so for their own safety}} while their mother walked out on the family earlier. At least, Chuck and Ellie have believed that since they were kids. {{spoiler|It turns out that their mother got stuck for twenty years in a mission trying to take down Alexei Volkoff's network.}}

** Chuck and Ellie's mother "left them" and their father "wasn't around much". As it turns out, their father literally abandoned them when Ellie was old enough to be Chuck's guardian, {{spoiler|but did so for their own safety}} while their mother walked out on the family earlier. At least, Chuck and Ellie have believed that since they were kids. {{spoiler|It turns out that their mother got stuck for twenty years in a mission trying to take down Alexei Volkoff's network}}.

** Morgan's father is never seen or mentioned.

** Sarah ~~travelled~~ the country with her father, aiding him in his cons until he was arrested when she was a teenager; at which point she was taken in by the CIA. Her mother wasn't involved, but {{spoiler|Sarah and her father changed identities enough that they couldn't trace Sarah back to her; Sarah placed Molly into her mother's custody shortly before the start of the series because of this, but it meant she couldn't see her mother again or both she and Molly would be compromised}}.

** Sarah traveled the country with her father, aiding him in his cons until he was arrested when she was a teenager; at which point she was taken in by the CIA. Her mother wasn't involved, but {{spoiler|Sarah and her father changed identities enough that they couldn't trace Sarah back to her; Sarah placed Molly into her mother's custody shortly before the start of the series because of this, but it meant she couldn't see her mother again or both she and Molly would be compromised}}.

** Vivian Volkoff being abandoned by her father.

** {{spoiler|Casey}} was this to Alex, who grew up thinking he'd died before she was born, although he wasn't aware her mother was pregnant at the time he disappeared.

* [[Part-Time Hero]]

* [[Performance Anxiety]]: Chuck has difficulty using his ability to "flash" while under pressure.

* [[Poor Communication Kills]]: This has often been played straight as part of the show's [[UST]]. {{spoiler|The [[UST]] seems to be over as of "Chuck Versus the Other Guy". The episode after that, "Chuck Versus the Honeymooners", frequently seems to threaten [[Poor Communication Kills]] but ultimately, thankfully averts it.}} Played [[HSQ|terrifyingly]] straight in terms of {{spoiler|Ellie being kept out of the loop in terms of everyone's involvement in spy work}}.

* [[Poor Communication Kills]]: This has often been played straight as part of the show's [[UST]]. {{spoiler|The [[UST]] seems to be over as of "Chuck Versus the Other Guy". The episode after that, "Chuck Versus the Honeymooners", frequently seems to threaten [[Poor Communication Kills]] but ultimately, thankfully averts it}}. Played [[HSQ|terrifyingly]] straight in terms of {{spoiler|Ellie being kept out of the loop in terms of everyone's involvement in spy work}}.

** As Morgan puts it in "Chuck Versus the Coup d'Etat":

{{quote|'''Morgan''': You are both, without a doubt, crap communicators. No, no, no- precious looks and whimsical little make-ups after big misunderstandings... you guys are fantastic, sure. But actual, real-life day-to-day communication?

'''Chuck''': Fine, I get it. }}

'''Chuck''': Fine, I get it.}}

* [[Portmanteau Couple Name]]: Jeffster! (as a platonic version for [[Those Two Guys]]). Invoked in-universe.

* [[Power Incontinence]]: See [[Green Lantern Ring]] above. If Chuck could do all that on command, he would be a [[Boring Invincible Hero]]. Fortunately - fortunately for the plot, unfortunately for the characters - his ability to flash on a skill depends on his emotional state in some not-yet-clear way. When he's nervous in a taking-a-test or stage-fright way he can't flash, and when he's afraid for his own well-being he can't flash (unless the person he feels threatened by is a pro wrestler), but when he's afraid for the sake of someone he cares about then he flashes all the time, whether it's a good idea or not.

* [[Power Incontinence]]: See [[Green Lantern Ring]] above. If Chuck could do all that on command, he would be a [[Boring Invincible Hero]]. Fortunately - fortunately for the plot, unfortunately for the characters - his ability to flash on a skill depends on his emotional state in some not-yet-clear way. When he's nervous in a taking-a-test or stage-fright way, he can't flash, and when he's afraid for his own well-being, he can't flash (unless the person he feels threatened by is a pro wrestler), but when he's afraid for the sake of someone he cares about, then he flashes all the time, whether it's a good idea or not.

* [[Pretty Little Headshots]]: Boy howdy, "Chuck Versus the Fake Name". A sniper rifle with a large enough caliber to make the shot half a mile away, leaves a small head wound on a guy's head. This would be possible if the back of his head was blown out, but not a speck of blood is visible around the body.

** Also, the agent shot by Sofia in "Chuck Versus the Suitcase".

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* [[Product Placement]]:

** Toyota. Taken a bit far at one point when Chuck extols the virtues of the Venza as a getaway car.

*** When called out by Ellie for buying a minivan, Awesome actually responds with "Toyota Sienna, safest family auto in its class." Even though Awesome keeps on trying to sell Ellie on the Sienna (dropping all sorts of statistics on its safety, natch), she prefers to ride her dad's "unsafe" Mustang '68 convertible. {{spoiler|This sets everything up for [[Here We Go Again|yet another]] [[Magnetic Plot Device|Intersect]] upload. Provided by [[Protectors of the Plot Continuum|Orion]], whose own [[Sword of Plot Advancement|device]] had earlier blocked it to begin with.}}

*** When called out by Ellie for buying a minivan, Awesome actually responds with "Toyota Sienna, safest family auto in its class." Even though Awesome keeps on trying to sell Ellie on the Sienna (dropping all sorts of statistics on its safety, natch), she prefers to ride her dad's "unsafe" Mustang '68 convertible. {{spoiler|This sets everything up for [[Here We Go Again|yet another]] [[Magnetic Plot Device|Intersect]] upload. Provided by [[Protectors of the Plot Continuum|Orion]], whose own [[Sword of Plot Advancement|device]] had earlier blocked it to begin with}}.

** Subway, especially in ~~season~~ 3, as a result of the [[Sending Stuff to Save the Show]] campaign for ~~season~~ 3. [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] incredibly hard, as virtually any time a cut opens up on either a Subway or a Subway sandwich, a [[Cherubic Choir]] can be heard in the background ''actually singing the word "Subway."'' In the series finale, {{spoiler|Subway ends up purchasing the Buy More.}}

** Subway, especially in Season 3, as a result of the [[Sending Stuff to Save the Show]] campaign for Season 3. [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] incredibly hard, as virtually any time a cut opens up on either a Subway or a Subway sandwich, a [[Cherubic Choir]] can be heard in the background ''actually singing the word "Subway."'' In the series finale, {{spoiler|Subway ends up purchasing the Buy More}}.

** Looking for a new drinking game? Take a shot every time you see an iPhone.

** [http://www.sleepsheep.com/ Sleep Sheep!] Though, real ones don't play Jeffster! songs.

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* [[Public Secret Message]]: {{spoiler|Stephen Bartowski}} provides Ellie with a method for contacting him through coded messages in the personal ads.

* [[Put on a Bus]]:

** Anna Wu at the start of ~~season~~ ~~three~~. [[The Bus Came Back|She did turn up once more]], but only for Morgan to get over her.

** Anna Wu at the start of Season Three. [[The Bus Came Back|She did turn up once more]], but only for Morgan to get over her.

** Hannah later in the same season.

** Harry Tang is sent to Hawaii in ~~season~~ ~~one~~.

** Harry Tang is sent to Hawaii in Season One.

* [[Real Men Wear Pink]]: Adam Baldwin could almost be the [[Trope Codifier]] for this. John Casey is a [[The Comically Serious|Comically Serious]], [[Necessarily Evil]] [[Colonel Badass]] who carefully upholds a [[Jerkass Facade]] and is a veteran of basically everything since the 1980s. Very much a real man, right? He also meticulously takes care of a bonsai tree, has perfect pitch due to a childhood as a choirboy, and is apparently quite skilled at wedding planning and decorating:

{{quote|'''Miles''': ''* showing Casey a ream of pink fabric* '' How about this?

{{quote|'''Miles''': ''*showing Casey a ream of pink fabric* '' How about this?

'''Casey''': No, no, no. That clashes with the bunting. }}

'''Casey''': No, no, no. That clashes with the bunting.}}

* [[Red Oni, Blue Oni]]: Carina and Sarah.

* [[Refusal of the Call]] / [[The Call Knows Where You Live]]: Chuck, for pretty much the first two seasons.

* [[Refusal of the Call]]/[[The Call Knows Where You Live]]: Chuck, for pretty much the first two seasons.

* [[Remember the New Guy?]]: Season 5's final [[Big Bad]] Nicholas Quinn. {{spoiler|He apparently was supposed to be the original candidate for the Intersect project, but got rejected. He's also apparently helped organizations like FULCRUM and The Ring behind the scenes during the past few seasons.}}

* [[Remember the New Guy?]]: Season 5's final [[Big Bad]] Nicholas Quinn. {{spoiler|He apparently was supposed to be the original candidate for the Intersect project, but got rejected. He's also apparently helped organizations like FULCRUM and The Ring behind the scenes during the past few seasons}}.

* [[Repurposed Pop Song]]: The [[Theme Tune]] for ''Chuck'' is an instrumental thirty-second cut of "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" by Cake.

* [[Reset Button]]: The writers seem to love [[Status Quo Is God|hitting this]] in the cruelest ways possible. In the ~~season~~ 2 premiere, "Chuck Versus the First Date", it appears to Chuck, for a while, that he'll be able to go back to being "just a normal guy" and dating Sarah once they retrieve the Cipher and put the Intersect in someone else's head. {{spoiler|Too bad the Cipher contained a [[Trojan Horse]] that killed all the CIA's Intersect agents.}} In the ~~season~~ 3 premiere, "Chuck Versus the Pink Slip", {{spoiler|Chuck flunks out of spy school, loses Sarah '''again''' and goes back to work at the Buy More, while Morgan failed Benihana school after Anna ran off with a classmate, also, surprise, surprise, coming back to work at the Buy More.}} Of course, the writers had to accommodate for the possibility of the show being canceled, which is likely why they hit the reset button when they ''did'' manage to get a third season commissioned.

* [[Reset Button]]: The writers seem to love [[Status Quo Is God|hitting this]] in the cruelest ways possible. In the Season 2 premiere "Chuck Versus the First Date", it appears to Chuck, for a while, that he'll be able to go back to being "just a normal guy" and dating Sarah once they retrieve the Cipher and put the Intersect in someone else's head. {{spoiler|Too bad the Cipher contained a [[Trojan Horse]] that killed all the CIA's Intersect agents}}. In the Season 3 premiere "Chuck Versus the Pink Slip", {{spoiler|Chuck flunks out of spy school, loses Sarah '''again''' and goes back to work at the Buy More, while Morgan failed Benihana school after Anna ran off with a classmate, also, surprise, surprise, coming back to work at the Buy More}}. Of course, the writers had to accommodate for the possibility of the show being canceled, which is likely why they hit the reset button when they ''did'' manage to get a third season commissioned.

* [[Romantic False Lead]]: Bryce, Jill, Lou, Shaw, Hannah... seemingly correct choices for Sarah and Chuck who ended up disappointing them. {{spoiler|Or, you know, doing a [[Face Heel Turn]].}} Let's make it simple: ~~Anyone~~ Chuck takes an interest in not named "Sarah" '''OR''' anyone Sarah takes an interest in not named "Chuck".

* [[Romantic False Lead]]: Bryce, Jill, Lou, Shaw, Hannah... seemingly correct choices for Sarah and Chuck who ended up disappointing them. {{spoiler|Or, you know, doing a [[Face Heel Turn]]}}. Let's make it simple: anyone Chuck takes an interest in not named "Sarah" '''OR''' anyone Sarah takes an interest in not named "Chuck".

* [[Running Gag]]:

** "Chuck, [[Wait Here|stay in the car]]." (~~The~~ joke being that he never does.) Lampshaded in "Chuck Versus the First Date":

** "Chuck, [[Wait Here|stay in the car]]." (the joke being that he never does). Lampshaded in "Chuck Versus the First Date":

** In Season 1, Chuck needs to come up with an excuse to explain Sarah's absence, and he blurts out the first thing which comes to mind, which to his surprise is that "she has a spastic colon". From this point onwards, he uses this excuse whenever he needs to cover for Sarah in civilian life. In ~~season~~ 3, he replaces a guitarist and when a member of the band asks what happened to the other guy, he immediately goes straight to "spastic colon" again.

** In Season 1, Chuck needs to come up with an excuse to explain Sarah's absence, and he blurts out the first thing which comes to mind, which to his surprise is that "she has a spastic colon". From this point onwards, he uses this excuse whenever he needs to cover for Sarah in civilian life. In Season 3, he replaces a guitarist and when a member of the band asks what happened to the other guy, he immediately goes straight to "spastic colon" again.

** Every time a hot girl walks through the Buy More, the Buy More Wind Machine appears to be running and pointing directly at the girl in question, whose hair billows gently in its artificial breeze as she [[Male Gaze|strides through the store in slow motion]].

*** [[Lampshade Hanging|Lampshaded]] in "Chuck Versus the Three Words", where Carina gets the treatment walking into a housewarming party. Apparently the Buy More staffers bring it with them wherever they go.

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** Captain Awesome has a tendency to accidentally tackle the good guy (see "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte" or "Chuck Versus the American Hero").

** Jeff's tolerance for drugs of all kinds has definitely become a [[Running Gag]]. He uses chloroform recreationally and shrugs off ''[[Immune to Drugs|three times as many tranq darts as it takes to put Casey down]]''.

** Also, various people alluding to the Tron poster Chuck has. {{spoiler|It's a [[Chekhov's Gun]].}}

** Also, various people alluding to the Tron poster Chuck has. {{spoiler|It's a [[Chekhov's Gun]]}}.

{{quote|'''Heather Chandler:''' Thanks for that, movie dork. I bet you have, like, a Tron poster in your room.}}

** [[MI 6]] agents are always undercover. (~~See~~ "Chuck Versus the Tango," "Chuck Versus the Beefcake," and "Chuck Versus the Last Details".)

** [[MI 6]] agents are always undercover (see "Chuck Versus the Tango", "Chuck Versus the Beefcake", and "Chuck Versus the Last Details").

** If [[With My Hands Tied|your hands are bound]] behind your back and you don't have any accessible tools to unbound yourself, you'll probably have to break your thumbs. This has been referenced at least once a season since ~~season~~ 2 ~~Lampshaded by Tuttle in "Chuck Versus the First Fight" when he discovers a method that doesn't involve breaking his thumbs~~. {{spoiler|Of course, since he's actually Alexei Volkoff and they were on his plane, he probably wasn't actually bound.}} Volkoff actually uses this (non-thumb-breaking) technique in "Chuck Versus the Push Mix".

** If [[With My Hands Tied|your hands are bound]] behind your back and you don't have any accessible tools to unbound yourself, you'll probably have to break your thumbs. This has been referenced at least once a season since Season 2.

*** Lampshaded by Tuttle in "Chuck Versus the First Fight" when he discovers a method that doesn't involve breaking his thumbs. {{spoiler|Of course, since he's actually Alexei Volkoff and they were on his plane, he probably wasn't actually bound}}. Volkoff actually uses this (non-thumb-breaking) technique in "Chuck Versus the Push Mix".

** Sweeping the leg comes up quite often.

* [[Scary Black Man]]:

** Big Mike (partially subverted)

** Big Mike (partially subverted).

** Mr. Colt (played by Michael Clarke Duncan, so of course he is) in "Chuck Versus the First Date".

** Mitt (played by Michael Strahan) in "Chuck Versus the Breakup".

* [[Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right]]: Numerous times throughout the series, but a notable example pops up in the ~~season~~ 4 finale. {{spoiler|Wherein Chuck actually goes against (and subsequently quits) the CIA in order to save Sarah, who had been poisoned by the [[Big Bad]].}}

* [[Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right]]: Numerous times throughout the series, but a notable example pops up in the Season 4 finale. {{spoiler|Wherein Chuck actually goes against (and subsequently quits) the CIA in order to save Sarah, who had been poisoned by the [[Big Bad]]}}.

* [[Sealed with a Kiss]]: Every episode 13 from Season 3 on. (~~Since~~ each of those was a [[Series Fauxnale]]--until the actual [[Grand Finale]], anyway--we can assume they always intended the series to end on one.)

* [[Sealed with a Kiss]]: Every episode 13 from Season 3 on (since each of those was a [[Series Fauxnale]]--until the actual [[Grand Finale]], anyway--we can assume they always intended the series to end on one).

* [[Secret Identity]]:

** No cowl and no cape, but Chuck's status as both an agent and the human Intersect is kept secret from his family and friends. {{spoiler|At least, until mid-third season. Even Ellie and Devon don't know about the human Intersect, and in ~~season~~ 4 believe he's retired.}}

** No cowl and no cape, but Chuck's status as both an agent and the human Intersect is kept secret from his family and friends. {{spoiler|At least, until mid-third season. Even Ellie and Devon don't know about the human Intersect, and in Season 4 believe he's retired}}.

** Just about every spy in this show seems to have one. Sarah Walker and John Casey are both covers:

*** Sarah's real name was partly revealed, assuming she wasn't lying when she told Shaw her real first name {{spoiler|Sam}} in "Chuck Versus the Fake Name," and her middle name {{spoiler|Lisa}} in "Chuck Versus the Wookie".

*** Sarah's real name was partly revealed, assuming she wasn't lying when she told Shaw her real first name {{spoiler|Sam}} in "Chuck Versus the Fake Name", and her middle name {{spoiler|Lisa}} in "Chuck Versus the Wookie".

*** Casey's given name was {{spoiler|Alexander Coburn}}.

*** Heck, even Chuck is known in the CIA and NSA as "Charles Carmichael" rather than "Chuck Bartowski".

* [[Secret Keeper]]:

** As of the end of Season 2 {{spoiler|Captain Awesome}}.

** As of the end of Season 2, {{spoiler|Captain Awesome}}.

** As of the end of Season 3, {{spoiler|Morgan Grimes and Ellie Bartowski.}}

** As of the end of Season 3, {{spoiler|Morgan Grimes and Ellie Bartowski}}.

{{quote|{{spoiler|'''Morgan:''' My best friend is a spy? This is the best news I've ever heard!}}

{{quote|{{spoiler|'''Morgan:''' My best friend is a spy? This is the best news I've ever heard}}!

{{spoiler|'''Ellie:''' Morgan Grimes--the boy that took my ''pillow'' as his date to Junior Prom--knows more about my family being spies than I do?}} }}

{{spoiler|'''Ellie:''' Morgan Grimes--the boy that took my ''pillow'' as his date to Junior Prom--knows more about my family being spies than I do}}?}}

** By the end of the show, {{spoiler|the only member of the main cast who ISN'T one is Big Mike.}}

** By the end of the show, {{spoiler|the only member of the main cast who ISN'T one is Big Mike}}.

{{quote|[[spoiler:'''Big Mike''': So what you're saying is, Chuck Bartowski is a spy who runs a spy company ''beneath the store''?

'''Lester''': The exciting part of the story is that ''we'' saved the day. You didn't get that? We'll go again.

'''Big Mike''': I got it. But do I ''believe'' it? [[Cassandra Truth|Not a word, boys. Not a word.]]]] }}

'''Big Mike''': I got it. But do I ''believe'' it? [[Cassandra Truth|Not a word, boys. Not a word]]]].}}

*** But given that {{spoiler|the German record executive made his offer to Jeffster in front of Big Mike, and referenced the parts of their story that he was aware of...}}

*** But given that {{spoiler|the German record executive made his offer to Jeffster! in front of Big Mike, and referenced the parts of their story that he was aware of}}...

* [[Sensitive Guy and Manly Man]]: Casey often mocks Chuck and his "lady feelings".

* [[Sexy Walk]]: Almost all sexy women who walk into the Buy More and Sarah when she's wearing a [[Stripperific]] outfit.

* [[Shipper on Deck]]: Pretty much everyone ships Chuck and Sarah. Even Casey. ''Even Beckman''.

* [[Shoot the Dog]]: {{spoiler|Twice so far in ~~season~~ 3, Chuck has had to betray people he's grown close to so that he can keep them safe.}}

* [[Shoot the Dog]]: {{spoiler|Twice so far in Season 3, Chuck has had to betray people he's grown close to so that he can keep them safe}}.

* [[Shout-Out]]: [[Chuck/Shout Out|So many, we had to give it its own page.]]

* [[Single Woman Seeks Good Man]]

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** Pre-show, [[First Episode Spoiler|Sarah and Bryce]].

** Double subversion: James Bond [[Expy]] Cole Barker tries to woo Sarah into this only to give up when he realizes she's in love with Chuck. "Well, who'd have thought it? Cole Barker loses the girl to Chuck Bartowski."

** Sarah and Shaw become this in ~~season~~ 3. {{spoiler|Until, well, it turns out [[Berserk Button|Sarah killed Shaw's wife as her Red Test]], [[Face Heel Turn|causing Shaw to go rogue and work for The Ring]]}}.

** Sarah and Shaw become this in Season 3. {{spoiler|Until, well, it turns out [[Berserk Button|Sarah killed Shaw's wife as her Red Test]], [[Face Heel Turn|causing Shaw to go rogue and work for The Ring]]}}.

** As of "Chuck Versus the Other Guy", {{spoiler|Chuck and Sarah finally qualify.}}

** As of "Chuck Versus the Other Guy", {{spoiler|Chuck and Sarah finally qualify}}.

** Casey and Verbanski, in ~~season~~ 5.

** Casey and Verbanski, in Season 5.

* [[Statuesque Stunner]]: Two, no less: Ellie and Sarah.

* [[Status Quo Is God]]: No matter what happens at the end of each season, Chuck and Morgan will always end up back at the Buy More. At the end of ~~season~~ 2, Chuck, Morgan, and Casey all quit the Buy More. Morgan even left carrying Anna as his friends applauded him. At the end of ~~season~~ 3, the Buy More was burned down. But every season ends up with the same crew working at the same store.

* [[Status Quo Is God]]: No matter what happens at the end of each season, Chuck and Morgan will always end up back at the Buy More. At the end of Season 2, Chuck, Morgan, and Casey all quit the Buy More. Morgan even left carrying Anna as his friends applauded him. At the end of Season 3, the Buy More was burned down. But every season ends up with the same crew working at the same store.

* [[Stepford Smiler]]:

** While she is a genuinely nice person, Sarah has a disturbing ability to turn on a perky, bubbly personality at will even if it is completely at odds with her actual feelings. Chuck eventually lampshades this aspect of her personality in the second season {{spoiler|and "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" uses this to have a [[Downer Ending]] as Chuck witnesses Sarah kill the villain, and not knowing what he saw, Sarah puts on her cheerful personality and tells him that the villain was taken into custody.}}

** While she is a genuinely nice person, Sarah has a disturbing ability to turn on a perky, bubbly personality at will even if it is completely at odds with her actual feelings. Chuck eventually lampshades this aspect of her personality in the second season {{spoiler|and "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" uses this to have a [[Downer Ending]] as Chuck witnesses Sarah kill the villain, and not knowing what he saw, Sarah puts on her cheerful personality and tells him that the villain was taken into custody}}.

** In "Chuck Versus the Breakup", after a particularly heart-breaking speech from Chuck, they both do this at exactly the same time. Quite moving, considering both of them had been on the verge of crying only moments before. In detail: Chuck has been convinced that Sarah's feelings for him will get one or both of them killed, and so lies through his teeth, telling Sarah that he wants someone normal and that she can "never be normal". Chuck is not liking to have to be saying this, and Sarah is... well, she's just been told that Chuck, the first person she has ever loved, doesn't want to be with her because she is a spy. She's crushed. And then the two of them look at each other sadly, and then put on really sincere-looking grins as they prepare to spend the night pretending to be a couple and discussing Ellie and Devon's upcoming wedding.

* [[Stock Superhero Day Jobs|Stock Spy Cover Jobs]]: Actually quite an original one - as a computer techie, Chuck's got a 9-5 job that he can easily drop at a moments notice just by claiming he's "on an install". How Casey the floor-sales guy gets away with the same thing is... [[Fridge Logic|less clear]].

** It's somewhat explained that everyone is too afraid of Casey to ask. Also considering how insane the other employees can be, someone no-nonsense like Casey would be a ~~valueable~~ employee no matter how absent he seems to be. The Buy-More can't be too picky considering the employee pool available to them.

** It's somewhat explained that everyone is too afraid of Casey to ask. Also considering how insane the other employees can be, someone no-nonsense like Casey would be a valuable employee no matter how absent he seems to be. The Buy-More can't be too picky considering the employee pool available to them.

* [[Sugar and Ice Personality]]: Sarah.

* [[Take That]]: The show doesn't seem to hold the FBI in high regard. Chuck bluffs about having an enemy surrounded by a task force. When the villain points out that he can't see anyone, Chuck responds with "Of course you can't. Who do you think we are, the FBI?" In another episode, they have to sneak past two FBI agents and when Chuck makes a noise, Casey cautions him "It's the FBI, they're dumb not deaf."

* [[Talking Heads]]: Beckman and Graham start out as this. But in later seasons, Beckman's character becomes more fleshed out. She makes a few in-person appearances (and even going on the field with them in one episode) and her communications with Team Bartowski show her in settings other than her office, such as her home. She also becomes more a part of the show's humor rather than just a [[Mr. Exposition|Ms. Exposition]].

* [[Those Two Guys]]: Jeff and Lester

* [[Those Two Guys]]: Jeff and Lester.

* [[Time Compression Montage]]: [[Subverted]] in 'Chuck Versus the Frosted Tips'. Devon [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall|was surprised to find out]] that only an hour had passed.

* [[Time Compression Montage]]: [[Subverted]] in "Chuck Versus the Frosted Tips". Devon [[Leaning on the Fourth Wall|was surprised to find out]] that only an hour had passed.

* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: Over the course of ~~season~~ 3, Chuck takes several levels in badass. In ~~season~~ 2 and earlier he was an [[Action Survivor]] or maybe [[Guile Hero]] at best. At the end of ~~season~~ 2 he gains the Intersect 2.0, which gives him access to [[Green Lantern Ring|a vast library of useful skills in addition to the knowledge that came standard with the Intersect]]. It took him most of season three to learn to use that [[Power Incontinence|reliably]] and [[My Skull Runneth Over|safely]]. Along the way he was given lots of field assignments that put him in harm's way and forced him to make tough choices. By the start of ~~season~~ ~~four~~ he's beating up a dozen guards at a time.

* [[Took a Level In Badass]]: Over the course of Season 3, Chuck takes several levels in badass. In Season 2 and earlier, he was an [[Action Survivor]] or maybe [[Guile Hero]] at best. At the end of Season 2, he gains the Intersect 2.0, which gives him access to [[Green Lantern Ring|a vast library of useful skills in addition to the knowledge that came standard with the Intersect]]. It took him most of season three to learn to use that [[Power Incontinence|reliably]] and [[My Skull Runneth Over|safely]]. Along the way he was given lots of field assignments that put him in harm's way and forced him to make tough choices. By the start of Season Four, he's beating up a dozen guards at a time.

** Also {{spoiler|Morgan}} took a level in badass in a more quiet way. He's still not a fighter or even particularly clever, but Casey has complimented him on his bravery more than once. Morgan has lured a tiger into an apartment to trap it and, as of the end of ~~season~~ 3, is the only person other than Casey to break their own thumbs to get out of a pair of handcuffs.

** Also {{spoiler|Morgan}} took a level in badass in a more quiet way. He's still not a fighter or even particularly clever, but Casey has complimented him on his bravery more than once. Morgan has lured a tiger into an apartment to trap it and, as of the end of Season 3, is the only person other than Casey to break their own thumbs to get out of a pair of handcuffs.

** {{spoiler|Morgan gets the Intersect at the end of ~~season~~ 4.}}

** {{spoiler|Morgan gets the Intersect at the end of Season 4}}.

* [[Too Kinky to Torture]]: Jeff. Possibly Lester.

* [[True Companions]]

* [[True Companions]]:

** Team Bartowski, extending to Morgan, Ellie and Awesome; especially after {{spoiler|they all become [[Secret Keeper|Secret Keepers]]}}.

** The Buy More staff. Except for [[Jerkass|Harry Tang and Emmett Milbarge]].

* [[Tyrant Takes the Helm]]: Emmett Milbarge stars in this story arc.

* [[Unrequited Love Switcheroo]]: Although Chuck's interest in Sarah is pretty much clear from the beginning, Sarah initially insists that their relationship is only part of their cover. However, when Chuck moves on and begins to date a girl ~~mamed~~ Lou, Sarah realizes her feelings for him are more than just a cover. Chuck eventually dumps Lou to be with Sarah, only to discover that her former lover Bryce is still alive. Later on Chuck gets back together with his old girlfriend Jill and Sarah gets jealous. Then after that, Sarah becomes attracted to CIA Agent Cole and Chuck gets jealous and so on...

* [[Unrequited Love Switcheroo]]: Although Chuck's interest in Sarah is pretty much clear from the beginning, Sarah initially insists that their relationship is only part of their cover. However, when Chuck moves on and begins to date a girl named Lou, Sarah realizes her feelings for him are more than just a cover. Chuck eventually dumps Lou to be with Sarah, only to discover that her former lover Bryce is still alive. Later on, Chuck gets back together with his old girlfriend Jill and Sarah gets jealous. Then after that, Sarah becomes attracted to CIA Agent Cole and Chuck gets jealous and so on...

* [[Unusual Euphemism]]: Non-sexual example. Casey's codename for briefings is "yogurt time".

* [[UST]]: Frequently. Chuck is a [[Hollywood Nerd]] with a really hot [[Action Girlfriend]]. However, to her it's just a job, or at least she is trying to maintain her professionalism and her calm reserve, especially after how her last workplace relationship ended. ''Every''one has remarked on her feelings for him, and he wears his heart on his sleeve. After a brief period of trying to be a couple, mostly off-screen between ~~seasons~~ two and three, they decided to be just friends. This won't last forever. {{spoiler|Finally resolved in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy".}}

* [[UST]]: Frequently. Chuck is a [[Hollywood Nerd]] with a really hot [[Action Girlfriend]]. However, to her it's just a job, or at least she is trying to maintain her professionalism and her calm reserve, especially after how her last workplace relationship ended. ''Every''one has remarked on her feelings for him, and he wears his heart on his sleeve. After a brief period of trying to be a couple, mostly off-screen between Seasons two and three, they decided to be just friends. This won't last forever. {{spoiler|Finally resolved in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy"}}.

* [[Video Phone]]: General Beckman's interchanges with the team mostly happen through one of these, as do liaisons between Castle and various field operatives.

* [[Visual Pun]]: Chuck frequently wears Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers.

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* [[What Happened to the Mouse?]]:

** The assassin from "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte". He fails to assassinate Goya, kidnaps Awesome to set up "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome", but isn't heard from again.

** Season 2 ends with {{spoiler|Stephen}} handing Chuck his wrist computer so that he can help Casey and Sarah {{spoiler|stop The Ring from taking the new Intersect}}. In ~~season~~ 3, Chuck no longer has it, yet we never see it with {{spoiler|his dad}} either.

** Season 2 ends with {{spoiler|Stephen}} handing Chuck his wrist computer so that he can help Casey and Sarah {{spoiler|stop The Ring from taking the new Intersect}}. In Season 3, Chuck no longer has it, yet we never see it with {{spoiler|his dad}} either.

*** The wrist computer was last seen in Orion's secret base.

* [[What the Hell, Hero?]]: Although neither seem to have any problems when it comes to killing in the heat of battle or in self-defense, both Chuck and Sarah enter this mode with regards to each other at various points: Chuck, after seeing Sarah {{spoiler|murder the FULCROM agent to protect him}} in "Chuck Versus Santa Claus" and Sarah enters this mode regarding Chuck when she {{spoiler|thinks he actually went through the the red test and killed a mole}} in "Chuck Versus the Final Exam".

* [[Will They or Won't They?]]: Chuck and Sarah:

** Brutally [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] by the bad guys of all people in "Chuck Versus the Fake Name."

** Brutally [[Lampshade Hanging|lampshaded]] by the bad guys of all people in "Chuck Versus the Fake Name".

** Drawn out for more than twenty episodes ''after'' they demonstrated their feelings for each other, complete with numerous [[Reset Button|ResetButtons]]. This may be a new record.

** {{spoiler|"Chuck Versus the Other Guy" has finally shifted the paradigm. [[They Do|And there was much rejoicing.]]}}

** {{spoiler|"Chuck Versus the Other Guy" has finally shifted the paradigm. [[They Do|And there was much rejoicing]]}}.

{{quote|{{spoiler|'''General Beckman:''' And off the record? [[Lampshade Hanging|It's about damn time.]]}}}}

{{quote|{{spoiler|'''General Beckman:''' And off the record? [[Lampshade Hanging|It's about damn time]]}}.}}

** A somewhat ambiguous example in the finale where the viewer is left to wonder {{spoiler|whether Chuck and Sarah actually do end up together when Sarah has no memory of their relationship. It's implied that she's getting her memories back and that the [[Sealed with a Kiss|final kiss]] means they're headed back to normalcy, but not everyone saw it that way.}}

** A somewhat ambiguous example in the finale where the viewer is left to wonder {{spoiler|whether Chuck and Sarah actually do end up together when Sarah has no memory of their relationship. It's implied that she's getting her memories back and that the [[Sealed with a Kiss|final kiss]] means they're headed back to normalcy, but not everyone saw it that way}}.

* [[X Meets Y]]: ''[[Get Smart]]'' meets ''[[Alias (TV series)|Alias]]''.

* [[You Look Familiar]]: The actor who played Yuri the Gobbler had also played one of La Ciudad's goons.